EyeEm vs Instagram

As Instagram introduces paid advertising and is way beyond the 130 million users mark, EyeEm take their 10 million users as well as photo-sharing to another direction.

1 – The common points

Both Instagram and EyeEm are photo-sharing apps. The principle is the same: snap or upload a picture, choose a filter and a frame, post with hashtags. Beyond that, the two platforms don’t have much in common, starting with the format…

2- Picture format

Instagram is well-known for the Instamatic-like square format. It is a trademark and doesn’t change. However, EyeEm gives more freedom to the user by letting him/ her upload pictures in any format they want. Instagram’s restriction forces creativity while EyeEm’s freedom lets the artist in you let loose.

3- Filters and frames

While Instagram lets you choose between 19 different filters, each of which has a dedicated (or no) frame, EyeEm separated the two. You can choose between 17 different filters and match them with any of the 12 proposed frames. This gives you more freedom to bring out the desired effect out of your pictures and make them your own.

4- Search, albums and categories

Instagram’s search is simple: you can look for hashtags and users. The news feed only shows pictures from users you follow, and the “most popular” page shows you what pictures are getting the most likes in the shortest amount of time. It doesn’t go beyond that, which is perfect for a simple experience. EyeEm on the other hand features automatic tagging (including geotagging) and places your pictures in albums depending on the subject and the tags on your picture (maximum 4). When you sign up on EyeEm, you are asked to choose your topics of interest. Whenever you’ll open the app, you will greeted by a selection of albums relevant to these topics. This allows a more explorative approach with a real purpose of discovery, guided by themes and interests.

5- Contests

While both apps run contests, EyeEm has a clear edge here. Instagram has communities running contests and they appeal only to those who are part of said communities. EyeEm on the other hand sends private message to all users informing them of global challenges and competitions. They sometimes partner up with other companies (last one was with Blablacar, a carpooling platform) and use this to create the theme of the contest.

6- The future for Instagram

Belonging to Facebook and having a gargantuan user database, Instagram is ripe for advertising and in fact has already started monetizing services. Some brand are using it to advertise in the form of accounts, others (the select few) have the chance to sponsor posts. As brands get used to the Instagram way of advertising, the feature will become available to a greater number of applicants.

7- The future for EyeEm

Created by a photographer, for photographers, EyeEm has a different vision for its users. Here is the scoop: If a designer/ brand/ ad agency/ other likes a picture of yours, they can send a request to buy it. EyeEm gets 50% and you make money off your photography without having to be a pro or own professional gear. This service is the first of its kind and will revolutionize the world of stock photography by providing a mobile, in-app stock of user-generated photos.

If you look at the bigger picture, you will find Instagram to be a great tool for marketing and simple, social user experience whereas EyeEm appeals more to the aspiring photographer and photography lovers. Both are great for sharing pictures and getting in touch with others who share the same interest, but where Instagram encourages simplicity, EyeEm pushes creativity and discovery.